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(No Model.)

B. WESTON. 9

ELECTRIC GIRGUIT BREAKER.

fittest:

Patnted Nov. 27 1883.

N. PETUB, Fholo-Lilho nphnn Wuhingginn, l G

UNITED STATES PATENT fOrFrcn.

EDXVARD IVESTON, OF NEW'ARK, NEIV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNITED I STATES ELECTRIC LIGHTING- OOMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

erecrmc-olacuir BREAKER.

SPECIFIGATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 289,199, dated November 27, 1883.

. Applicati n filed November 25, wee.

'- is 01/55. whom it may concern/.-

Be-it known that I, EDWARD Wnsron, a bj t of th Queen of Great Britain, and residing at Newark, in the county of Essex 6 and State of New Jersey, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Circuit- Breakers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

10 The subject of my invention is a device for making and breaking the continuity of an electric circuit, and is designed for use generally with circuits through which powerful currents are conducted, as in systems of electrio lighting or transmission of power. "When a circuit of this kind is interrupted by simply severing a conductor, whet-her by hand or by devices, such-as an ordinary key or lever, an are very destructive in its effects is formed between the separated points of contact. In

the circuit-breaker which I have devised provision is made against the formation of an are by the employment of springs, which effect an instantaneous interruption of the circuit when the device is turned or operated, and the parts are so inclosed and constructed that the device may be easily and safely operated by unskilled or careless persons.

In the accompanying drawings, where the 0 invention is illustrated, Figure 1 represents in vertical section the apparatus complete. Fig. 2 is a horizontal. section of the same, taken on line 00 0c of Fig. 1. f The circuit-interrupting mechanism is inclosed in a narrow box, A, composed partly or wholly of wood or other material, which, to give play to the contact-springs, is slightly widened at its center, as shown at a. In the center of the box is set a vertical spindle, B, 0 which, in case the boX A is composed of metal,

is made to turn in insulated bearings O O, of hard rubber, wood, or vulcanite. Themiddle portion of the spindle B is widened out in a plate, F, with rounded edges 6 and flanges 4 5 cl, turned in opposite directions. The plate should present in cross-section approximately... the configuration illustrated in Fig. 2, so that the bearing or contact springs D D may be af forded good contact-surfaces and be capable of slipping off from contact with the plate F with a snap when the spindle B is turned.

(No model.)

In opposite ends of the box A'are fixed slotted metal standards G, in which are clamped the spring-plates D D. The standards are insulated from the boX in cases where the material composing it is a conductor of electricity, and are connected to the wires of a circuit. The free ends of springs D D bear on the widened portion of the spindle B. In order that the springs may be prevented from making contact with the plate F when the spindle is turned for interrupting the circuit, pieces of insulating material L L, of the conformation shown in Fig. 2, are clamped to opposite faces of the plate. From the projecting edges of the plate the insulating material is cut away,

so as not to impede the reaction of the springs on leaving the metal. The thickness of the pieces L is then increased, and they are rounded off and made to extend slightly beyond the edges of the plate F. By this means all parts of the plateF are protected,'except the proper contact-surfaces, and it becomes impossible to turn the spindle backward, as the springs encounter the irregularites in the insulatingpieces, and act as locking-pawls. The rounded portions of the metal plate F are made of the same shape and size, so that the projecting edges (1 e end in a line drawn through the center of the axis of revolution of the plate. The springs D D, too,are of such length that they will leave these edges simultaneously when the plate F is turned. An important result is thus secured-via, that the circuit being broken in two places at practically the same instant, the possibility of an are forming between the separating points of contact is reduced to a minimum. Itis evident. that this object may be attained by many odifications of theprinciple of the constructio and in other applications. such means are shown, but not claimed.

A switch constructed in thisi'manner possesses certain peculiar advantages,which are,

chiefly,that it may be successfully employed in 95 main circuits over which very powerful currents are conducted; that it interrupts the circuit in two places, thus decreasing the chances for the formation of an arc, and that it is easily and safely operated by any one. Aside from I00 the general construction of the casing or the mechanical design of the apparatus, these ad- 7 re shown,

vantages may be secured by employing in conjunction with the contact-springs a revolving with the plate when the latter is turned to the proper position for interrupting the circuit, and which act as a ratchet that allows the switch to be turned in one direction only.

What I claim is- 1. The combination, with contact-springs, of a revolving metal plate, and insulating pieces of irregular conformation secured to the sides of the plate in line with the axis of rotation, whereby the continuity of the circuit formed between the springs through the plate can be broken only by the instantaneous reaction of the springs on leaving the exposed edges of the metal plate, as set forth.

2. The combination, with contact-springs of a revolving metal plate having flat sides and flanged and rounded edges, of insulating plates or pieces of irregular conformation, secured to the flat sides of the metal plate, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of standards G, and spring-plates D D, with a metal plate, F, having flanged and roundededges, and forming part of a spindle, B, and plates or pieces of insulating material, shaped substantially as described,and secured to the opposite sides of the plate F, for the purpose set forth.

4. In a switch or circuit-breaker in which the contact-surfaces are held together by the compression and separated by the reaction of springs, the combination of two fixed and two movable contact-surfaces and means for bringing the same into and out of engagement, these parts being so constructed that the separation of the contact-surfaces shall be effected simultaneously and instantly, as and for the EDWARD WEsTo'N.

Witnesses:

XV. FRISBY, PARKER W. PAGE. 

